Twin Fate
by Shinigami Merchant
Summary: Synopsis: Zero and Ichiru are the cursed twins born to Hunters. While Ichiru is raised lovingly by his parents Zero is confined, only being let out to train to become a weapon against vampires. However everything changes when Ichiru meets Shizuka Hio. What happens when Ichiru decides to release his brother from his fate? Read to find out.
1. Prologue

Twin Fate

**Disclaimer: **Vampire Knight belongs to Matsuri Hino sensei

**Synopsis**: Zero and Ichiru are the cursed twins born to Hunters. While Ichiru is raised lovingly by his parents Zero is confined, only being let out to train to become a weapon against vampires. However everything changes when Ichiru meets Shizuka Hio. What happens when Ichiru decides to release his brother from his fate? Read to find out.

* * *

Prologue

Dust…

That is all he had become, the man that had brought an end to her perpetual boredom was now nothing but a pile of ash being carried away from her on merciless winds. The sound of the bell tied round her obi was the only sound as she knelt beside her former lover caressing the ashes as they fled.

Before him there had only been silence. Silence and a gilded cage to while away eternity, but then he was thrown to her; as prey no less and her silence was shattered. The silence had always belonged to her as the prey that was given to satiate her thirst begged and pleaded for their lives, screaming as her fangs sank into their flesh, mere noise it never lasted long. But he was different; composed and quiet he sat before her and glared. There was no fear in his eyes, no his hatred had burned all traces of fear away; he would not yield and that had caught her attention.

Instead of devouring him she decided to try and talk to him, it was just a whim but the strength of his gaze had captivated her and with it her silence was broken. She didn't hesitate to turn him into a vampire; she knew he would never forgive her but it didn't stop her. He had agreed when she had suggested to flee together, by then she suspected it was his only choice.

She soon learned how fleeting the life of a vampire could be and how easily they could be killed. What remained was all but gone and in its place was a cold fury that would only be quenched by the blood of those who had taken him from her.

* * *

As Ichiru made his way home from school a light flurry of snow began to fall, his silver hair peeked from beneath his hood as he tilted his face towards the sky to watch the falling snow. He stretched his gloved hand out to catch one of the stray flakes but was surprised when he found a sakura petal resting in his palm instead. Gazing round his amethyst eyes were captured by the sight of a lone sakura tree in bloom out of season, he began to make his way towards it but stopped when a coughing fit wracked his small body, thinking better of it he decided to investigate tomorrow and for now proceeded along the path he had previously followed.

As he continued to walk up the narrow forest path he could see the trees beginning to thin revealing a stately if not slightly worn house, it was one of the many small hide a ways that belonged to the Kiryu clan. He and his family had resided in the house for the past seven months, which by their standards was practically a life time. As he entered the house he quietly closed the door; the hall was sparsely but finely furnished but it was warm and Ichiru was grateful to be out of the cold.

His parents had offered to pick him up from school, having been at home all day preparing for their latest move but he had declined saying he was feeling al lot better recently. They were always doing that looking at him with eyes only filled with pity but worst of all was how they treated Zero.

Placing his bag on the floor he heard the hushed voices of his parents coming from the living room, pausing he edged towards the door and listened trying to find out what they were discussing this time.

"How much longer do we have to keep it?" his mother asked her voice tight with loathing.

"It's only for a few more years, we've bore it for this long and Yagari has been a great help" His father's voice was soft and placating but it had little effect.

"Yagari is too soft with that thing!" she snapped "he doesn't see it for what it truly is and Ichiru's been asking more questions lately". His father tried to reason with her "Ichiru is young he can't be expected to understand, besides Yagari has been telling him about Cross".

"Do not mention that name!" her yell echoed throughout the house.

The silence that followed was tense but brief.

It was his Fathers voice that broke it "what can I do? He pleaded "what can I do to reassure you Saika?"

Her response was barely a whisper "the vampire seal…you know it would work so why haven't you used it...if not for my sake then for Ichiru's?"

His voice was strained when he finally replied "You know why. It's still too soon, apart from a slight increase in strength and greater endurance he exhibits no other traits; we don't need to use such… drastic measures".

"Akihiro! How can you be so blind? It grows stronger by the day and Yagari only encourages it" her retort was sharp "hasn't it already caused enough suffering? It needs to be restrained!"

Ichiru had heard enough, his parents had been having the same argument for the past few weeks and he knew how it would end. His Father would yield; Ichiru was actually surprised he had managed to go against that woman's wishes for this long.

He had to warn Zero.

Backing away from the living room he made his way down the hall coming to a stop in front of a door concealed under the staircase, he tested the handle but as usual it was locked. With a resigned sigh he reached into his pocket removing a small key; his parents didn't know he had it, the last time Yagari sensei had looked after him and Zero he had given the spare key to Ichiru instructing him to use it sparingly. Ichiru knew it was risky to use the key while his parents were in the house but he needed to talk to Zero; slowly he opened the door flinching with each creek the hinges made.

The door opened to a set of stairs that led to a darkened room beneath the house, the stagnant smell of dust assaulted Ichiru's senses. His eyes adjusted to the dimply lit windowless room, the walls were bare stone and seem to absorb what little light radiated from the few scattered candles placed around the room. Though dark and depressing the room was still well organised and relatively clean, if you didn't count the half inch layer of dust that covered most surfaces.

Zero sat at a desk set against the left wall of the room, looking up from the book he held his almost lifeless amethyst eyes regained some vitality when he spotted Ichiru, however uncertainty quickly entered them "Ichiru I thought Ka san and Tou san had stayed in today?"

"They did but" he was swiftly cut off as Zero dropped his book.

"What are you thinking!" Zero hissed as he stared dumbfounded at his twin "If they catch you down here" it was Ichiru's turn to interrupt his twin.

"I don't care" his voice was low but strong "more importantly their arguing again, I don't think Tou san will be able to go against her for much longer you have to get out!"

Zero lowered his eyes focusing on the fallen book; he couldn't bring himself to look at his other half when he answered in a choked whisper.

"No"

"You know what they'll do!" Ichiru continued trying to repress his rage "what they've already done!"

Zero finally looked at his brother his eyes were sad but resigned.

Ichiru could feel unshed tears begin to prick at his eyes "Zero why do you let them treat you like this? Yagari sensei already said he would take you with him. You wouldn't have to live down here, you wouldn't have to suffer, so why? Why do you choose to stay?

If Zero was going to answer he didn't get the chance. Ichiru fell to his knees as a violent coughing fit hit, he was about to collapse to the floor when the strong arms of his older brother caught him.

* * *

"Ichiru" Zero held his younger brother as the coughs gave way to ragged breaths; he could see Ichiru's eyes grow unfocused as he slipped into unconsciousness. Steadying his brother he placed his hand on Ichiru's forehead; he was burning up. Grabbing Ichiru he made to carry him back upstairs when the sound of rushed footsteps stopped him; light flooded the small stairway as the door at the top was flung open.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" the shadowed face of his mother was the perfect picture of fury. His fear had frozen him and before he knew it Ichiru was being taken from his arms, the next thing he knew he was thrown to the floor, his cheek stung from where his mother had struck him. His father stood in front of his mother who was cradling Ichiru protectively; the dagger she had used to finish so many vampires now clasped in her free hand. Turning his back on Zero he clasped Saika's hand and relieved her of the blade "take Ichiru upstairs. I'll deal with this".

Nodding in understanding Saika gathered Ichiru in her arms and exited the room without sparing Zero a glance.

Akihiro's gaze was firm as he activated one of the many Hunter runes located around the room; the room began to glow with an eerie light as an archaic symbol appeared on the floor with Zero at its centre. He didn't try to fight as the spell took affect; his body became heavy as the invisible chains of the curse bound him.

When the curse had taken full affect his father approached him, his eyes hidden behind his silver hair so much like that of his sons. "The fact that you can be restrained like this is proof of your cursed blood". His voice was dead as he approached Zero "as a hunter this is my responsibility".

"Forgive me"

With those ominous words Zero could see the last shred of hesitation leave his father's eyes. Adrenaline flooded his veins as he watched his father run his fingers along the edge of the blade whispering a low incantation, when he was done the dagger emitted a soft purple glow concentrated at the tip of the blade.

Zero fought beside himself, his mind had already accepted what was going to happen but his body instinctively struggled against the binds that restrained him. His body became heavier as he tried to push himself up, his eyes widened and a soft gasp of pain escaped him as the invisible chains constricted forcing him back to the ground. Akihiro let him struggle he knew that Zero was not yet strong enough to break the Hunters binding spell, he knelt beside his son and patiently waited for the boy to tire; it would be easier for both of them if Zero exhausted himself.

Zero knew that if he continued to resist it would only cause more pain but he couldn't fight the overwhelming fear that rose up inside him as his father sat beside him, simply waiting. Gathering his strength with a cry he tried to rise, he could feel the chains straining, just a little more and he might be able to break them.

Any hope of that was lost when the chains sent a jolt of energy through his entire body. The pain was overwhelming as Zero collapsed to the floor, the edges of his vision were tinged black and the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as he bit down to choke the scream that tore at his throat.

Finally he was still, barely conscious and with no energy left to fight his father finally moved. Zero followed every move his father made, his amethyst eyes tracked the glowing blade as his father lowered it to his neck, "the more you resist the more this will hurt" these were the final words his father whispered to him before he dipped the blade into the smooth flesh of Zero's neck.

The heat of the blade ate at Zero's neck even as the scream tore past his lips, even with the powerful chains of the spell holding him down he managed to squirm forcing his father to hold him down. He could feel every twist and turn of the blade as in slowly and precisely slashed through his skin, after what seemed like hours he could feel the symbol begin to take shape on the now bloody skin of his neck. With each stroke of the blade a new scream was torn from his ragged throat, he writhed on the floor as the tears traced down his face mingling with the blood that flowed freely from his neck. It was only when Akihiro began to carve the final design that he finally, mercifully passed out.

* * *

Akihiro looked down at his sons' prone form as he released the seal restraining him. The boys tear stained face was pale. He had used a hunter spell to seal the wound when he had finished but the boy had still bled; nothing spoke this fact louder than his sons once white shirt which was now dyed crimson and his own blood stained hands.

He had to keep telling himself that this was the only way, the only way to keep both his son's.

With that thought he gently lifted his son and carried him to the small bed in the corner of the room, sitting on the edge of the bed he smoothed the sweat drenched silver locks from his sons' face. Regret filled his eyes as he looked at the tattoo he had carved into Zero's neck; the Hunters seal glared back at him, an angry red against the backdrop of the boys pale skin. Sighing he quickly changed Zero out of his ruined shirt before leaving the boy to sleep. Akihiro knew that Zero would take no comfort in him still being there when he woke.

Reaching the top of the stairs he locked the door before checking to see if Saika was still with Ichiru; confirming this he took out his mobile, dialled a number and leaned against the wall as he waited for an answer.

* * *

She watched as the petals surrounding her gracefully tumbled through the air mixing with the freshly falling snow. She had been observing her prey for the past few days and had learned much about her quarry, the most interesting being their young son who she had witnessed walking to the house barely an hour past. She knew he was their son; the brief glance she had seen was all she had needed, she could smell the Hunters blood in him though it was weak, far weaker than she would expect for the son of the prestigious Kiryu clan.

She was drawn from her thoughts when a haunting scream reached her ears; the Kiryu clan continued to intrigue her. It seemed at least her revenge would be far from boring.

Author Note: Please let me know what you think. What was good about it? Wat was bad about it? I need to know


	2. Sakura

Author Note: I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed this story. Please continue to review as I love to hear people's opinions even if there negative.

To answer a few questions, yes there will be some romance in this story and it is a Shizuka x Ichiru but I'm planning on several characters getting between them as well as Shizuka's normal teasing. There will be **NO** yaoi (hopefully that answers your question Kuroko22)

By the way if anyone would like to Beta this story please send me a PM

Right well I hope you enjoy the latest chapter and thankyou for reading this note

* * *

Sakura

Ichiru was desperate to wake up; in a semi-conscious state he had felt an overwhelming sense of fear as he was carried away by his mother. He had never heard his Fathers' voice so cold and resigned and it terrified him to think what would happen should Zero be left alone with him. All he had wanted was to be able to protect his older brother but once again his weak body had betrayed him and now Zero had to pay for his mistake.

As his mother carried him into his bedroom he started to regain some of his awareness, when he managed to force his eyes to open slightly his vision blurred and he was hit with a sudden bout of vertigo. He tried to fight it, tried to stay conscious as his mother gently laid him on his bed sweeping her hand through his hair "it's all right Ichiru" her voice was soft "just go to sleep, you'll feel better in the morning". He tried to speak, to ask about Zero "shush now Ichiru, you'll be ok, he won't be able to hurt you again" she reassured him as she continued to stroke his hair, which only increased Ichiru's fears.

His eye snapped open and there was the face of his mother trying to comfort him, her eyes tender and full of love, his feeling of sickness only increased. Why? It was the only question he could ask himself, why was she like this? How could she love him and only hate Zero? It scared him; her love seemed so twisted, but he was too weak to reject it and for that his brother had suffered.

His fever rose as his emotions overwhelmed him; he couldn't fight the darkness anymore as his eyes grew heavier. One final coherent thought passed through his mind as he drifted to sleep.

I hate them

* * *

Saika rested on the edge of Ichiru's bed as he finally gave into his exhaustion and fell asleep, continuing to stroke his hair she watched as a small frown creased his forehead; a smile tugged at her lips. She remembered when she had first found out she was pregnant; the feeling of the new life growing inside her and the thoughts of how she and Akihiro would cherish and protect it.

All these thoughts had turned to ash with one simple revelation.

It was twins

As a Hunter she had been raised on the histories of the Hunters Society and knew all too well the fate that befell twins born to a Hunter. Driven by the instincts of their cursed blood, while still in the womb, not even conscious, the two halves would fight to become whole; it had happened time and time again throughout the history of the Hunters Society and there was only two ways it could end. Unable to gain the upper hand the two innocent lives would destroy each other while still in their mothers' womb.

The alternative was a nightmare.

A Fangless

It had only happened once in recent Hunter history, more effective against vampires than any weapon or spell the Society had managed to create; a demon born from the purest form of blood from the Hunters progenitor. With the strength of two Hunters it was only rivalled by the powers of the Purebloods.

The thought of giving birth to such a being terrified her.

She was pulled from her thought when a howl reached her ears. Haunting heart retching screams that could fool the best of Hunters, but she knew, deep down she had always known what it truly was.

Ichiru tossed in his sleep and the frown that creased his forehead deepened; Saika quietly lifted herself from the edge of the bed and proceeded to close the door, the echoing screams became muffled and Saika returned to Ichiru's side checking to make sure he had not been disturbed.

His breathing was calmer but his sleep was not a peaceful one. Seeing him like this, so frail and vulnerable tore at her soul, laying down in the bed beside him she carefully, so as not to wake him, wrapped her arms around him and drew him into her embrace.

Over the years she had watched as Ichiru steadily grew worse while that thing only continued to grow stronger. Saika lay their cradling her son listening to his even breathing until the sounds from below quietened before eventually coming to an end. She remained where she was; knowing from past experiences that Akihiro would be…difficult to deal with at the moment.

* * *

Walking the perimeter of the Hunters barrier spell she traced her finger along the concealed ward; it was an impressive spell but by no means impervious, especially not to her. As she continued to walk amongst the shaded trees that lined the glade surrounding the house she watched as the fragile sakura petals that were brought into bloom by her mere presence danced in the cool night air. It was a beautiful sight, but it could not distract her.

The despair she felt at her loss haunted her like a vengeful ghost, its ever present force constantly threatened to consume the remaining shreds of her sanity. A small "hn" escaped her as she contemplated thoughts of her own sanity, it had always been such a foreign concept to her; but here she was trying to maintain the dwindling remnants of her psyche, all for the purpose of savouring her revenge.

As her mind filled with anticipation she allowed her feelings to slip past the calm mask of her features; her mouth twisted in a cruel smile as her eyes took on a blood coloured lustre. How satisfying it would be to sink her fangs into their throats and watch as the light drained from their eyes. If she were to break the barrier forcefully it would be over in a mere moment but she would be left with no time to savour it, being forced to flee from not only the Society but the Council as well.

She could not permit that. What she required…what she needed was time.

Time to relish her kill

As the Sakura continued to scatter her thoughts shifted; starting to dwell on the memories of her lover, the man who had broken her silence. Her eyes glistened in the pale moonlit night as a lone tear traced down her cheek.

* * *

Zero bolted upright in bed before the floor rose to meet him; he let out a pained gasp as he landed heavily on the floor his eyes screwed shut and his hands clasped his head where it hit against the rough stone. Struggling to release himself from the blankets tangled around his legs he winced as a fresh wave of pain washed over his small frame. Managing to finally extricate himself from the stubborn grip of the cloth, he lay on the cold stone floor and gasped for air trying to fill his lungs.

Visions from his nightmare refused to fade from his eyes; snow that fell gracefully through the air as it was carried by a strong wind, a small bell rang out in the darkness, sakura trees blooming out of season standing in a snow covered field, red eyes, white hair and fangs.

"Vampire"

It was close, he could sense it even with the Hunter spells that surrounded the house and adorned the walls of his room; he could sense it and he knew it was strong.

His breathing calmed slightly as the images faded but his heart still beat furiously in his chest. As the adrenaline brought on by his nightmares receded Zero became aware of the searing pain originating from the wound on his neck. Tentatively he traced his fingers across the scar, following the lines that formed the Hunters seal that marred his skin. He cringed slightly as the freshly formed scabs caught on the edge of his t-shirt as he stretched, trying to work out some of the aches that had seeped into his muscles.

He allowed his mind to go blank, to focus on nothing but the pain. After all; he deserved it.

* * *

Ichiru awoke in the early hours of the morning to find that his fever had subsided; he vaguely remembered being carried to his room by his mother but after that there was nothing. Turning to the darkened window Ichiru noted that the sun had yet to rise; but the light provided by the moon was more than enough to see by.

Rubbing at his tired eyes to try and remove the remnants of sleep Ichiru gingerly rose from his bed, his body shivering in protest at the sudden loss of warmth. He ignored it; his sleep addled mind refusing to come up with a single coherent thought, considering giving up he was about to squirm back under the covers, when he suddenly remembered.

Launching out of his bed he tore out of his room but paused at the top of the stairs where his common sense managed to catch up with him. As quietly as he could he quickly crept down the stairs, his heart sinking every time a floorboard creaked underfoot, making his way along the hall Ichiru couldn't help but notice that the door leading to the sitting room was slightly open, allowing light from the lit fire place to spill into the hall. Curious Ichiru peered into the room.

With the light provided by the fire he could easily make out the sleeping form of his father lying on the settee; one of his arms obscuring his face in order to hide his eyes from the flickering light of the fire. His other arm hung loosely off the side his fingers nearly touching the floor and inches away from an empty bottle of sake.

His young eyes filled with pity as he took in the scene. His father was meant to be strong, but as both Ichiru and Zero grew the confrontations with that woman were occurring more frequently; it was draining him, emotionally. Ichiru young as he was could still see it; his father was trained to hunt Vampires not humans, let alone his own son.

At that moment, looking down at his father all Ichiru could see was weakness.

Ichiru backed out of the room and quietly closed the door behind him; reassured that at least his father would be unable to hear him.

Making his way once again to the door beneath the stairs he unlocked it; luckily his fever had prevented his parents from finding out he had a key, this time being sure to lock it behind him. As he came down the stairs his heart stopped; Zero lay curled up on the floor, his breathing ragged and his hand clutching the left side of his neck.

Cold fear settled in the pit of his stomach as he rushed to his brothers' side "Zero, wake up! You need to wake up" he shook his brother by the shoulders continuing to call him; Zero's only reaction was a soft groan. Ichiru persisted eventually earning a half lidded gaze, "Ichiru".

"Can you stand?" Ichiru asked his voice almost broke with concern; he hated seeing his brother like this. A soft shake of the head was all Zero could manage before his eyes closed again; he was still conscious but barely. Ichiru wrapped Zero's left arm round his shoulder and all but dragged him back to his bed, reaching the edge he lowered Zero onto the bed as gently as possible nearly falling with him as he leaned down.

Even barely awake Zero still clasped his hand tightly over his neck, his knuckles white with the strength of his grasp. Ichiru placed his own hand over Zero's trying to calm his brother, when Zero finally looked at him Ichiru was able to shift his hand exposing the Hunter seal engraved into his brothers' neck. The wound looked days old; no doubt the work of their father, but it was still deep and Zero's skin seemed to burn with fever. Getting up Ichiru ran to the small bathroom that joined onto Zero's room, filling the wash basin with cold water he soaked a clean wash cloth, hurrying back to zero he placed the cool cloth against the blazing tattoo. At first Zero flinched away from the contact as if he'd been shocked but began to relax as the cool fabric drained some of the pain.

Ichiru hugged his brother as Zero drifted back to sleep, he never felt more comfortable than when he was in his other half's presence and he hoped Zero drew some of the same comfort from him.

When Zero finally fell asleep, Ichiru made his way back up stairs, fearing what his parents would do if they found him with Zero again. Stopping at the landing half way up the stairs Ichiru glared at the darkened halls sorrow and anger consuming his thoughts, he gripped the banister as he allowed the emotions to rip through him the wood screeching in protest at the strength of his grip.

A flicker of colour on the moonlit landing shook him from his dark thoughts. Looking over his shoulder he noticed the window behind him was open allowing the cool night air to flow into the house. Another flash of colour in the dark, but this time he caught it; unfurling his clasped hand revealed a perfect sakura petal.

Curiosity drove him forward; climbing out the window he alighted on the small stone balcony just below. His bare feet stung with cold and he shivered at the cold night air as his breath fogged out before him, but he didn't care. His eyes were drawn by the soft sound of a single bell to a lone Sakura tree in full bloom surrounded by snow; it was a beautiful sight only enhanced by the ethereal creature that sat high in its branches.

She was dressed in a pale white kimono, a purple obi tied around her waist, long white hair that cascaded down her back caught lightly by the breeze, deep pastel pink eyes that matched the blossoms that surrounded her perfectly, held Ichiru's gaze, a single tear traced down her cheek. When she at last she spoke her voice contained a soft chime much like the bell tied to her obi.

"This one has seen you before."

"Why are you crying? Did something sad happen to you?" he couldn't prevent himself from asking.

"What about you?" she returned "your heart is suffering too, is it not?"

He couldn't answer, he couldn't breathe; how could she know? He was once again drawn from his reverie by the sound of her voice and the deep sadness that dwelled in her eyes.

"Will you help this one? This Shizuka Hio"


	3. Fangs

Author note: Right well heres the next chapter, sorry for the wait but it is a bit longer so I hope that makes up for it. Once again I'd like to thank all of you who took the time to review...without further ado enjoy ^-^

* * *

Fangs

It proved difficult for Zero to wake up the next morning, caught between dreams and awareness the pains that had plagued him last night seemed like nothing more than a vague memory, but they weren't. Slowly surfacing from his unconscious mind his senses returned to him and with it came pain, the sharp searing pains that had overwhelmed him making every movement almost unbearable had now receded to a dull ache. Realising that there was no point in trying to go back to sleep Zero dragged himself out of bed and made his way to the small bathroom, while walking he noticed that the wash cloth Ichiru had given him was still resting on his shoulder. Unwilling to look at it he adjusted the cloth and pressed it down covering the scar.

Entering the small bathroom he avoided looking directly in the mirror and instead chose to focus on the cool water that still filled the sink; soaking the cloth he wiped away the sweat that covered him in a light sheen. Slightly refreshed he gathered his courage and forced himself to look in the mirror.

The image of his brother stared back.

He looked pale, his eyes reflected nothing but fatigue and it seemed as though it was taking all his strength just to stand. Moving his hand Zero finally revealed the Hunter seal that marked his neck; the wound stood out against his skin, a faded scar which could easily be mistaken for a tattoo.

It was unnatural; he knew that his father had used a hunters' spell to accelerate his healing but this was too much, instead of only looking days old it looked as if at least a week had passed.

The sound of shattering glass filled the room as Zeros' fist collided with the mirror. Pain laced up his arm as fragments of glass buried themselves deep into his hand. He didn't care; his eyes were focused on his own fractured image reflected within the glass, the hand that clasped his neck, fierce amethyst eyes and the nails that dragged across his skin allowing fresh blood to flow down his neck.

"Zero stop!"

Zero jerked when a hand grasped his arm; his fathers' eyes awash with a mix of shock, fear and concern bore into him.

Gradually so as not to cause further harm, his father gently pulled his ruined hand from the splintered wreckage that had once been the bathroom mirror. As it came free the shards of glass lodged in his hand shifted causing blood to run freely down his fingers, but Zero no longer felt it, he couldn't feel anything.

With the arrival of his father Zero had retreated into the depths of his own mind; unable to deal with both the physical and mental strain of recent events. He by no means passed out, but his eyes became clouded and his body became numb as a deep feeling of cold settled within his chest. He was still aware of his surroundings but he felt detached as though his body was no longer his own. His father guided him back into the room sitting him down on the edge of the bed before disappearing upstairs returning moments later with a small first aid kit.

He watched as his father cleaned the deep lacerations on his hand, barely even flinching as the shards of glass were removed. When his hand was treated and bandaged his father turned his attention to Zero's neck. He didn't resist when his father drew his hand away exposing the marks, the scratches had already stopped bleeding however Akihiro still cleaned the wound and wrapped a thin layer of gauze around his neck, completely hiding the scar.

Once he was finished his father sat beside him but said nothing, allowing Zero to come out of his shocked state in his own time. It worked; Zero's eyes became less clouded and his tense body language eased, however he was still unwilling to meet his fathers' gaze.

Seeing his son relax slightly Akihiro took a deep breath to calm his own nerves as he wondered how to start.

"I called Yagari, he should be here in a few days" he paused not knowing how to continue; "this time you'll leave with him, Zero."

Zero remained quiet so his father continued "you'll stay with Kaien Cross until you're old enough to take a full apprenticeship under Yagari. The training will be hard but at this point it's the only path left for you."

Silence dominated the room as Zero took in what his father had just said. He would be allowed to leave with Yagari sensei, his suspicions instantly flared; he almost felt like laughing, a laugh filled with scorn and suffering bordering on madness, but he didn't.

All thoughts of suspicion slowly faded however when he saw the guilt hidden in his fathers' features. With his mind becoming clearer one question managed to creep into his thoughts.

When Zero spoke his voice was low but clear "what about Ichiru?"

Akihiro sighed "Ichiru can't become a hunter; I know he has trained alongside you with Yagari but… Ichiru is not capable of becoming a hunter, he-"

The words his father spoke seemed to grow fainter, they washed over him like cold water as he heard them; frozen by their meaning, His mind was completely focused on one thought "it's my fault."

He and Ichiru had always talked about following in their sensei's footsteps when they were younger. Zero had excelled in both the combat and offensive spell training, but Ichiru was anything but weak; by using defensive spells and strategy he was able to keep up with Zero, although as time passed Ichiru's body began to weaken where as Zero only seemed to grow stronger.

"It's my fault."

…Flashback….

Zero watched as Yagari made his way back down the secluded road that lead to the house, he had accompanied his Shisho as far as the entrance to the road but had said goodbye when the edge of the town had come into view.

He knew he should head straight back to the house, but the soft evening breeze and warm sunlight was a welcome change.

As he was standing still he hadn't been prepared for the sudden impact that came from the side; "Zero!" stunned by the fact that he'd managed to maintain his balance he turned to see the happy face of his brother as he hugged him.

Taking his brother by the shoulder he pulled back to get a clearer look at his face; his brow furrowed as he took in the flushed features of his twin "You've got a fever you should be in bed Ichiru."

Ichiru's smile slipped as he leaned forward so he could rest his forehead against Zero's "I lied about being sick, Zero. But you knew that."

"You didn't want to see Shisho off?" Zero asked.

"I'm a dropout anyway so I'm of no use to him" he hugged Zero tightly "I'm fine as long as you're with me Zero."

Taking his brothers hand he began to make his way back up the forest path "Ichiru lets go home, Tou san and Ka san will be back soon." Before he could take another step Ichiru was hugging him again "Zero, you're amazing…you make up for all the things I lack, but please don't push yourself so hard."

Later that night their parents had yet to return, Zero lay in bed next to Ichiru "Ichiru, you do have a fever. It's because you were out in the cold." His voice was stern but there was no way he could hide the worry in his voice.

"Gomen" Ichiru's face was had a faint flush and his breathing was shallow only causing Zero more worry. "Wait here, I'm just going to get an ice pack."

As he got out of the bed Ichiru clung to his sleeve "please don't go, I feel better when you're with me Zero" moving back under the covers he hugged his brother close leaning his forehead against Ichiru's as his brother had done earlier "I'm not going anywhere Ichiru."

"Zero…will you really be able to kill? You're such a kind person" the question caught Zero off guard but he quickly recovered "don't worry Ichiru, that's why Shisho is teaching us" he began to close his eyes as he said this slowly drifting back to sleep, but what his brother said next left him wide awake.

"You think it's your duty…but you're trying to make up for me too."

His eyes snapped open and he held his brother closer "no, I'm not Ichiru." After that Ichiru fell asleep due to his high fever and Zero soon followed.

By the next morning their parents were back and Zero was once again locked in his dark cell.

…Flashback….

"The fact that Ichiru has been sickly since birth…it's my fault…"

"-ro"

"I stole something from my other half… while we were in mothers' womb…"

"-ero"

"I stole from him…and made it mine…"

"Zero"

"Just like a Vampire"

"Zero!"

A hand grasped his shoulder drawing him away from his own self destructive reverie. On reflex he struck out batting the hand away from him. He was met once again with the concerned gaze of his father.

Returning his thought to the present situation he knew one thing. He could never bring himself to completely trust his father; not after what he had done; again and again his trust had been broken, so what had changed?

"Why?" the question was bitten out with a somewhat cynical edge.

Sorrow flashed across Akihiro's face before he could hide it behind a small smirk; he knew Zero didn't believe in him but there was one fact that neither of them could deny. "Because…despite all I have done… all the mistakes I have made… you are my son."

With that said Akihiro left the room not willing to face the rejection he knew he deserved.

Zero simply remained where he was and tried to regain the cold feeling of numbness that had possessed him earlier. At this point it appeared a far better option than dealing with the tumultuous emotions that were currently overtaking him.

Ω

Ichiru returned to his room just as the first rays of sunlight began to break over the horizon; unable to sleep he had watched the sun rise until his mother came into wake him.

He had spent the day avoiding his parents; his mind still filled with memories of the hauntingly beautiful woman made him lose confidence in his ability to hide his true feelings, so with the excuse that he had not fully recovered from his fever he had spent most of the day in his room.

He now sat in the small seat just below his bedroom window staring out at the snow covered field allowing his mind to wonder as he contemplated the words she had spoken to him.

…Flashback….

"Will you help this one? This Shizuka Hio"

Ichiru was beginning to wonder whether he had fallen asleep on his way upstairs but then again he doubted he could imagine such a scene.

The power of her gaze entranced him; her eyes glowed in the faint moonlight, drawing him in. All the fears that had plagued him and the pain that wracked his small form ebbed away in her presence. He didn't even notice that he was walking towards her, as he drew closer she gracefully descended from the top of the tree; when she landed the only sounds that accompanied her were the light flutter of moving fabric and of course the small chime of a bell.

She crouched in the snow as she stared at Ichiru. Immediately the image of a predator stalking its prey jumped to the forefront of his mind and his heart leapt into his throat as she continued to study him. A light blush tinged his cheeks and he was forced to avert his eyes in order to hide it, too late to go unnoticed by the inquisitive beauty that knelt before him.

"He heh" a small chuckle escaped her as she tilted her head to once again capture the boys' gaze "you and I have the same eyes; full of sorrow, regret…and something darker" her smile as she said these words did not quite reach her eyes. "Perhaps we can help each other?"

Facing the woman once more his eyes hid none of the emotion that stirred within his soul. Still he could not find the strength to answer her.

Lowering her gaze she sighed "it would seem for the moment you do not have an answer."

As she made to leave Ichiru found himself wanting to reach out to stop her; as if sensing this she met his eyes for the last time.

"I will see you again" she said as she turned "when you understand what you truly want…when you desire to step out of your cage" as she spoke the petals of the sakura tree swarmed around her whipped up in a sudden cold wind "we will meet again." By the time the flurry had cleared she was gone.

…Flashback….

He had replayed the memory several times now but each time it ended a great feeling of loss would engulf him.

What had she wanted? The thought dogged him as he continued to stare out the window at the darkening skies. There was one thing he was certain of, she had not been human. However captivated he was by her presence there was no way he could ignore the aura of power that surrounded her.

If it was her-

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of something breaking downstairs followed by the raised voice of his mother.

Walking out of his room he crouched behind the banister as he looked through the railing to see his parents in the hall below him. His father leaned against the opposite wall; a small cut on his cheek and the shattered remains of a vase on the floor beside him, they were obviously fighting again.

"Saika control yourself…for once you need to listen to me" his father all but growled.

"How dare you!" the resentment in her voice was badly concealed. "I have listened to you…I chose to listen to you and Yagari all those years ago instead of following the orders of the society…I ignored my duty and bore that monster into this world!" Akihiro tried to interrupt but she continued "yes because I listened to you Ichiru was spared…my true son was spared but ever since then I have had to watch as he continues to lose his strength!"

Akihiro refused to back down "that is why Zero will go with Yagari-" before he could go any further she cut him off.

"You should have sent him to the society where he could have been properly tamed!" she snapped.

Akihiro narrowed his eyes "no matter what you believe he is not a vampire…he is our s-"

"I will kill him myself before I see him freed" the chill in her voice was like a knife to Ichiru's heart.

"No"

Ichiru ran but the words followed him as he sped back into his bedroom. Grabbing his coat that was slung over a chair he threw his window open and escaped out of the house into the darkening night. He slid down the small roof outside his window stopping just before he reached the edge; looking down he spotted a particularly deep snow drift about six feet below him, with no further consideration he jumped from the roof; making sure to roll as he hit the ground allowing him to land smoothly and continue running toward the perimeter of trees surrounding the house.

He knew what he had to look for but while his eyes searched he couldn't prevent his mind from wondering. They were going to send Zero away but it wouldn't be with Yagari sensei like his father naively hoped, no they would send him to the Hunters society; that women would make sure of that. If not she would kill him…without mercy, without remorse she would kill Zero.

Fear of what the society would do with Zero nearly crippled Ichiru as he continued to search; the society would see him as a weapon, a tool to be used until there was nothing left. Just like his mother they wouldn't see the difference between Zero and the level E vampires they had 'tamed'.

He was snapped back to attention when his eyes caught the flash of colour he had been searching for. Time froze for him as the delicate pink petals glided towards him; lifting his eyes he followed the trail the petals left in the snow until he found her. Leaning against a Sakura tree that glowed with ethereal light against the darkness that surrounded it; "we meet again" her voice was as soft as he remembered and he would have lost himself to it had it not been for the emotions that drove him to find her.

He hesitated for a moment as the gravity of what he was about to ask hit him but only for a moment; the second he remembered the torture his brother had endured he was able to sweep away the feelings of guilt that had begun to rise up inside him.

"Last night you asked if I would help you but you didn't tell me what it is you want?" he asked.

The corner of her mouth twitched; in answer she almost lazily raised her hand extending it towards him. Barely an inch remained between them when she stopped; her fingers halted by a barrier that gave off spark's of purple lightning in response to her touch.

Retracting her hand she examined the tips of her fingers as they rapidly healed "what I want is to punish those that took a precious existence from me."

Even though the cold air seared his throat he forced himself to speak "if I help you" his throat grew tight but he pressed forward "will you grant my request?"

Much like the night before she rose from her position by the tree to crouch before him so that they were on the same eye level, he held her gaze refusing to blink; if he blinked he would lose, he would expose his weakness and he knew for a fact she would kill him. "What would you have me do?" she questioned.

"My brother." He took a breath to steady himself "please help me free him…if you can do that, I will help you."

She raised her hand palm facing upwards and extended it to Ichiru "all you need do is take my hand" her anticipation came in the form of a low purr in the undertone of her voice "take my hand and the barrier will no longer affect me, I will be able to save your brother and have my revenge."

Slowly, tentatively he raised his hand. If he did this there would be no turning back.

"It would seem that our desires intersect" as she said this the smile that adorned her features became heavenly; Ichiru couldn't help but smile back the irony that he was making a deal with a demon was not wasted on him.

Never the less he took her hand.

* * *

**Author's note:** Right well I hope you enjoyed this chapter... just a heads up we'll be getting to the more interesting stuff next chapter so for those of you who are squeamish be warned there will be a lot of blood (insert evil laugh). If you enjoyed this chapter, or there's someting that you didn't like about it, or you think thats theres something I can improve on or if you've noticed a mistake then please, please, please **REVIEW!**


	4. Blood

Here it is Chapter 4, nearly four thousand words yay hope this makes up for the delayed update. Enjoy ^-^

* * *

Blood

As soon as she took the boys hand she could feel the resistance of the barrier dissipate, stepping forward his hand still tightly clasped within her own she experienced a feeling similar to passing through dense mist; looking back she could see the barrier writhe and coil as it reformed.

For the moment she was able to rein in the torrent of despair that sought to consume her as she turned to the small child that stood beside her in the snow. She was surprised to see that despite the fact that he was now exposed to the full potent energy of her Pureblood nature he had remained composed. She might have gone as far as to say that the boy was completely at ease within her presence, she couldn't help but be intrigued.

"What is your name little one?"

His amethyst eyes locked with hers and with a strong voice that belayed his years he answered, "Ichiru."

Placing her hand on his cheek she held his gaze.

"Arigato Ichiru" as she said this a single tear trailed down her angelic face.

With that said she stood and began to walk slowly towards the house.

* * *

Akihiro sat in the living room, for now Saika had retreated to kitchen in order to calm down and he was alone. For the past hour he had fought with Saika, trying to convince her to let Yagari take Zero but it had been to no avail, blinded by hatred she would not allow Zero to have any form of freedom.

She had given him a choice; either Zero would go to the Society where he would be trained and confined under the same order that applied to a tamed level E vampire or she would kill him herself.

He already knew that the Society would support her decision and if they were to become involved there would be no means left for him to protect Zero. He could only pray that he could stall Saika from action long enough for Yagari to arrive, from their earlier conversation over the phone he knew Yagari would at best arrive in two days, at worst it would be a week before he arrived and by then Zero would be in the grasp of the Hunter Association.

Exhausted and hopeless he turned to the small oak cabinet hidden in a corner of the room, taking out a glass he was about to reach for the bottle when the glass he held slipped from his grasp and shattered against the floor.

His eyes were wide as his senses were overwhelmed by the sheer power of the vampiric aura that infused the air; he found it hard to breath let alone move as the presence grew stronger. How? He found himself questioning, how had a vampire, even one this strong managed to make it past the barrier. He had no time to dwell on these though as Saika came barrelling into the room, in one hand she held her anti-vampire weapon of choice; a zankosen forged from the origin metal, her other hand clasped his own Katana.

Making his way over to his wife he claimed his weapon and levelling her with an even gaze he drew his blade allowing the saya to clatter noisily to the floor.

He ran to the door and quickly wrenched it open but paused as he stood in the threshold allowing the light from the hall to pool out into the darkness. He took a defensive stance as Saika took her place beside him, his katana drawn across his chest ready to guard against any attack; his eyes searched the darkness as the strength of the aura crashed down on him in waves.

The moonless night and sweeping shadows did little to calm his nerves as he continued to search the darkness, but there was nothing. The strength of the aura had all but deadened his instincts; the vampire could have been standing right next to him and still he wouldn't be able to sense it.

The sound of a bell was his only warning as a wave of energy ripped through the air towards him, as he dodged he heard the distinctive sound of wood and stone being ripped apart as the door way he had just been standing in was completely destroyed. Crouching in the snow his katana still grasped firmly in his hand he spared a quick glance to make sure Saika had managed to jump clear of the initial strike; she sat in a similar stance to him not two meters away, her zankosen drawn taut ready to reduce any vampire that approached to ash. Seeing that she was safe Akihiro focused his attention on his surroundings.

Wind caused by the coming snow storm meant that the snow and dust whipped up in the first attack was quickly cleared; what he saw made Akihiro truly wish it hadn't.

"Shizuka Hio" there was no way for Saika to hide the fear that tinged her voice, "what is a pureblood doing here?"

The darkness hid her features as she began to advance towards them but the sharp blade of killing intent she directed towards them made her intentions all too clear. "You killed him…so now I will punish you." Her soft spoken voice held a cold and controlled fury that froze the blood in Akihiro's veins.

Before he could even process her words she moved, in an instant she was next to them as if she had been standing between them all along, automatically he struck out aiming to behead her but his blade only cut through clean air. The next second he felt himself blown back, rolling through the snow, the wind knocked out of him; stabbing his katana straight into the ground he twisted in mid air using his blade as an anchor to regain his footing. The attack left him with a few superficial scratches but he was otherwise unharmed.

Saika hadn't been so lucky; the strike had hit her with such force that she had been thrown back into the wall of the house with a sickening crack. As Akihiro watched her stand he could see she now cradled her left arm close to her chest.

The feral gleam in Shizuka's eyes which now seemed to burn red in the darkness locked onto her wounded prey, she continued to advance slowly taking in every pained gasp that escaped Saika as she stood. With her back turned to him Akihiro took the chance to strike; he swung his katana with all his skill aiming for Shizuka's exposed back, the blade tore through her flesh dousing his blade in her blood.

The depth of his shock was unimaginable as both the blood on his blade and the body before him burst into a storm of sakura petals, all but drowning his vision in a sea of colour.

Jumping clear of the tempest he tried to make his way round it but all too quickly it dispersed and the pureblood was upon him once more. Claw like nails raked across his left arm leaving five shallow furrows in their wake; the damage would have been worse had it not been for the wire of the zankosen wrapped around the vampires wrist that had slowed the strike. Smoke rose from the wounds as the zankosen dug deeper into Shizuka's wrist, behind her Saika had managed to stand and held a firm grip on the now bloody wires.

To Akihiro's horror Shizuka's eyes which had begun to dim flared to life as she turned her attention to Saika; "so it was you" Shizuka asked as her gaze then turned to her wrist as she gently caressed the zankosen. Taking advantage of her brief distraction Akihiro struck; swinging his bade in a low arc he sought to at least wound the pureblood in her sudden lapse of concentration. Without even looking Shizuka swung her light shawl into the path of the deadly blade; the katana stopped dead in its path, the light shawl acting as if it were a shield made of solid steel.

The look of shock on Akihiro's face was only matched by the one on Saika's; on the other hand a look of wild joy had returned to Shizuka's grin. She sent a wave of power along the line of the zankosen and Saika was once again thrown back, her body convulsed as if she had been stunned and she was force to release her weapon; the line now slack Shizuka swiftly removed the wire from her wrist, a look of disgust barely concealed as she tossed it aside. Turning her attention back to Akihiro wielding her shawl like a liquid shied she deflected each slash of his blade as if it were child's play. He was forced to focus on defence alone; with each strike her speed increased forcing Akihiro to retreat; for every step he retreated she would advance two, with every blow he managed to repel she would manage to land three more, what could have been over in seconds seemed to drag on for hours and it could only mean one thing.

She was toying with him.

As the duel wore on his breath began to come in great gasps, his arms burned with the weight of his katana and his blood fell freely from the many wounds that ripped him apart with each strike. Still she came; each strike like the next step in an intricate dance, with one last step she effortlessly closed the distance between them. Within the breath of a second his katana was sent flying from his grasp; gripping his wrist she dragged him down so that there was barely an inch between them. He stood frozen as her hand seized the back of his neck forcing him to look at her, "you're not the one I want."

Five claws tore through his chest and he was almost blinded with pain as he fell forward, his vision blurred as the bitter taste of blood filed his mouth; blinking didn't help, his world became flooded with red as blood mingled with the snow.

Shizuka turned her back on Akihiro and in one graceful leap landed next to Saika; she brought her hand down and gently rested it against Saika's throat. With her captive completely at her mercy and Akihiro powerless to stop her Shizuka began to laugh. Not a mad laugh filled with bloodlust as he had expected but one that was calm and slightly amused.

Saika struggled determined to get free but it was useless, the convulsions that had raced through her body had reduced but all she could feel was the numb ache of her heavily paralysed limbs. Her eyes locked with Akihiro's her usual ferocity had faded and he could clearly see the fear that now clouded her vision.

Tightening her grasp on her captive Shizuka leaned forward just enough to be able to see the emotion flitting across Saika's features, "is this the power of the Kiryu clan?" her voice barely above a whisper could still be heard over the howling wind. "I must say I'm rather disappointed if this is all the skill you possess" her eyes narrowed in what Akihiro could only describe as mock dissatisfaction as she dragged her nails along Saika's exposed neck.

Desperation clawed at his chest as he watched the blood flow from Saika's neck, as he heard the choked screams that were torn from her by the Pureblood. He tried to stand but failed as the snow slick with his own blood gave way making him land heavily on the ground. The cold eased the pain in his chest but it also drained his strength faster; had he still held his weapon there would have been something he could do, but he didn't.

Fisting his hands in the snow he willed his eyes to stay open; loss of blood and the cold that surrounded him were making it harder and harder to remain conscious. Stretching out his right hand he dug into the snow as he attempted to rise but stilled when his fingers brushed against the cool sharp edge of metal. Looking up he could see the coiled edge of Saika's discarded zankosen grasped tightly in his hand.

A pained gasp dragged his attention back to Saika; she was pinned flat on her back the snow around her dyed red with her blood. Shizuka was slowly choking the life out of her as she watched the light drain from Saika's eyes.

The scene before him allowed Akihiro to drive all thoughts of exhaustion and pain to the back of his mind. Grabbing the zankosen he ran his blood drench hand along the wire, closing his eyes in concentration he focused as he channelled the power of the weapon in his hands. In seconds the wire began to glow reacting to the blood of both the hunter and the pureblood; along with the glow came the addition of thorn like protrusions down its length. The power of the weapon seemed to flow through Akihiro's own veins, allowing him to stand.

Allowing him to fight.

The metal writhed in his grasp as if it was a snake trying to struggle free but he contained it. Exerting his will over the living metal he forced it to obey; it stopped fighting his control and stilled in his grip and even though he could still feel the remnants of resistance for the moment he knew it would adhere to his command, all he needed was a moment.

Lashing out with the now serrated blade of wire he caught the wrist that was slowly choking the life out of Saika, as soon as it dug into the Purebloods flesh the zankosen's single wire split into five. Before the wire could further entangle her Shizuka brought up her shawl to act as a shield, the zankosen tore through it as though it was made of tissue paper. Almost imperceptibly the Purebloods eyes widened as her shield was rendered useless, but the fierce smile remained and the hand that clasped the throat of her pinned prey tightened even as the wires ensnared her.

Even with the anti-vampire weapon biting into her skin Shizuka refused to relinquish her hold on her prey, the wires continued to coil round her drawing blood and tearing flesh wherever they touched. It was only when Akihiro began to draw back and the zankosen constricted with a force that threatened to sever her hand that she finally let go.

She jerked away from Saika landing closer to him causing the wires to fall slack between them. He could see the anger that flashed in her eyes from being interrupted; he was in her way, she charged aiming for a swift kill. She had barely taken three steps when Akihiro drew the slackened wires taut restraining her movements. If she advanced she risked losing her head, should she retreat she would lose not only her hands but would be left with deep gashes across her chest that even she would have trouble healing due to the powers of the metal that inflicted them. She was trapped but Akihiro was in much the same position, as soon as he made a move to finish her she would be able to kill him and he knew it.

From the corner of his eye he could see Saika curled in the snow, her left hand clutched her neck trying to stem the flow of blood while her right fumbled with the hilt of the hidden kodachi strapped to her back. This was what he had been hoping for; one well placed strike from the blade clasped in Saika's hand would render the Pureblood's ability to heal useless, with them gone it wouldn't be long before Akihiro reduced her to a pile of ashes scattered in the wind.

As she rose to sit on her knees their eyes locked and he was shocked by what he saw.

Fear

Looking in her eyes he could clearly see her fear; see the weakness that now dominated her mind. Instinctively he knew that the tremors that wracked her body were born not from the blood loss or the pain she had suffered but from fear.

Fear of the Pureblood who stood bound before her practically defenceless, but Saika couldn't move.

Shizuka didn't even attempt to struggle free, she merely stood graceful and composed; a ghost of an almost triumphant smirk tugging at the edge of her mouth. Saika continued to stare her sight flitting between Akihiro and Shizuka, overcome with frustration Akihiro snapped; "Saika!" at this point she was focused on Shizuka, unable to breathe, unable to move. He called out to her again more forcefully this time "Saika!" she blinked and stumbled back nearly falling backwards in the snow.

She looked at him, her eyes were wide and her breath came in great gasps as the kodachi trembled in her grasp.

But then she stilled.

Her eyes seemed to focus on something behind Akihiro; her whole body took on a different stance as she shifted her feet and narrowed her eyes. It was clear to Akihiro that she was allowing her instincts to take over in order to drown out her fear.

But her target was not the Pureblood.

Taking one last look at Akihiro her features appeared to harden and then, she ran.

She ran towards the tree line just to the left and behind Akihiro, she ran from Akihiro abandoning him when he needed her most.

A hollow lump settled in his chest as he watched her run for the cover of the trees, he was about to call after her when the deafening sound of straining wire reached his ears. Unwillingly, against his better judgement and the voices in his head that screamed at him to run he turned back towards Shizuka.

The wires that had held her were slowly uncoiling as if they were being pulled away from her by invisible hands. As he continued to stare he noticed a thick coat of blood that covered each wire, it was so thick that the zankosen itself seemed to be bleeding and that's when he realised; she was using her own blood to manipulate the wires.

The movements of the Zankosen had become jerky and slow as the Pureblood blood sought to dominate the powerful weapon, already the wires around her chest and neck had become loose and she was now almost leisurely stretching as she waited for the rest of her restraints to fall away. All thoughts of Saika had fled from his mind as he began to recite a biding spell, he had managed to stumble through the third line and was about to cast the curse when the worst happened; the strained wires lost the battle against the power of the Pureblood and snapped as easily as spider threads.

With the zankosen destroyed the power that had kept Akihiro standing was gone; the agony that consumed him roared through his veins as the power slipped away. His knees gave way and a cold dread settled in his stomach as he realised he had failed.

Falling backwards he hit the ground hard as the darkness flooded his consciousness, struggling to stay awake he glared at Shizuka who now knelt in the snow gradually recovering from the wounds he had inflicted.

He turned away, he couldn't bear the thought of the last image he would see in his life being the blood covered form of the Kuruizaki Hime.

Gazing at the night sky he allowed his thoughts to wonder over happier memories; but instead of comfort he could only find sorrow and regret. As he fell into the darkness of unconsciousness his mind was dominated by one thought.

"Ichiru, Zero…Gomen na sai"

* * *

She ran for the cover of the trees as the sounds of screaming wire chased her; the white noise of her own screams trapped within her mind all but drowned them out.

She could still feel the nails that had mauled her with an agonising and methodical slowness, still feel the cold iron grip clamped down on her throat and worst of all she could still feel the overpowering aura that continued to press down on her.

It was unlike anything she had faced before and it terrified her.

Only one thought could be heard over the noise that now burned in her mind like wildfire; "it's his fault…it's his fault" the thought circled her brain on an endless loop fuelled by the screams that refused to leave her alone.

She had seen him, huddled next to a tree at the edge of the clearing silently watching; his silver hair and amethyst eyes almost glowing in the darkness. How he had escaped she didn't know and in this instance she didn't care; all she knew was that her chance had finally come, the beast in human form had revealed its true nature at last.

Making her way through the trees she circled back to where she had seen him. He was easy to find; the fresh scent of sakura blossoms led her straight to him. He stood leaning against the tree his back to her completely unaware of her presence.

Steadying her blade she carefully approached him, she stood directly behind him her blade raised; her anticipation reached its climax as she brought down her blade upon the unsuspecting boys back.

"ICHIRU!"

The cry tore through the night air as the blade descended and a blur of silver hurled itself in front of the defenceless boy.

Mercilessly the blade came down tearing a bloody path through the exposed back that shielded the boy.

Blinking and confused Saika gaped at the two boys that lay before her. Ichiru leaned against the tree with a look of pure anguish marring his young features; the broken and bloody body of his twin cradled in his arms.

She had been wrong…it was Ichiru…Ichiru had betrayed her, he had let the Pureblood in.

Why? Why? Why?

How could this have happened?

The thought came to her as a whisper cutting through the screams that crowded her mind.

He was the same…he wasn't her son…she had no son, only monsters.

Laughter tore through the night air as she looked at the fear in the eyes of the cornered vampires before her; yes they were vampires…not her sons', not her blood no matter what anyone said. Akihiro wouldn't understand, even the Association didn't fully understand. Only she knew.

One strike, one strike would finish them both and erase her mistake.

She raised her kodachi ready to finish everything as she laughed into the endless night.

Her laughter was cut short by a gurgled choke that escaped her lips as she coughed up blood, looking down she was met by the sight of a bloody hand protruding from her chest.

"I shall not grant you an honourable death" Shizuka whispered as she rested her cheek against the back of Saika's hair "you are not worthy of it." With that said the Pureblood sank her fangs into the exposed flesh on Saika's neck, her eyes burned crimson with bloodlust but she did not allow herself to swallow a single drop of the blood that flowed down Saika's neck. Stepping back she swiftly withdrew her hand leaving the body to scatter into ashes as it crumbled to the ground.

* * *

**Author note: Please review this chapter,** this was the first fight scene I've written and I would reallly appreciate any feedback you could give me on it. Thank you for reading.

By the way the reason for the lengthy delay was due to the curse of essays for my University course, please note that they will probably continue to interfere with the speed of my updates until June. If you enjoy the story know that I am sorry, I know how frustrating slow updates can be. **Also THANK YOU for the 15 favourites and 10 reviews.**


	5. Curse

Curse

Zero had spent the day sifting through the old books that lay piled on the small desk crammed in a corner of his room; most of the books had been given to him by Yagari but there were a few that had sneakily been handed to him by his father. The book he was currently reading held was the oldest in his small collection and contained one of the more detailed histories of the origins of the Hunters Association and their dealings with the Pureblood line of Kuran and the Vampire council.

Most Hunters discredited the history; refusing to believe that the source of their power came from the very vampires they sought to destroy but Zero enjoyed the tales, they helped to pass the time.

At the moment he was reading to try and distract himself from the low murmur of voices that filtered down from upstairs. If he concentrated he would easily be able to make out what they were saying but he had heard it all before and knew how the 'discussion' would end, there was no point. In the end he knew his father would yield; he always did.

Turning the page he was looking over the diagram that depicted the family trees of the Purebloods when his concentration was shattered by the sound of something smashing upstairs. Finding himself unable to focus when the hushed voices upstairs turned to shouts Zero closed the book with a snap and placed it back on the desk with the rest of his small library before retreating to his bed. Closing his eyes and covering his ears he tried to ignore the argument that raged above him; but he couldn't. The voices grew louder and fragments of the conversation drifted down, until one sentence cut sharp and clean as it ripped through the air.

"I will kill him myself before I see him freed!"

A silence followed the outburst that filled the space around him like a chasm; it stretched on for a moment until it was replaced by the hushed placating murmurs of his father.

The words came as no surprise to Zero.

When he was younger he could remember being treated the same as Ichiru, at least by his father. His mother always seemed distant, always watching him with eyes tinged with an emotion he could never quite understand. He now knew that emotion had been fear and that fear soon darkened and turned to hate.

He was only seven the first time she had tried to kill him.

Only seven and she had mercilessly tried to crush the life out of him. At the time both he and his brother had been shocked to see the sudden change in their mother but as her violent outbursts became more frequent he realised that she had never loved him and instead had always feared him, for some reason his young mind could not fathom she had feared him, but now he understood.

Like her, his father and Yagari Shishou he held power; but his power was different, his power was stronger and that scared her.

While lying in his bed trying to block out the memories consumed by his mothers hate filled eyes he could no longer ignore the creature that stalked the perimeter of the barrier surrounding the house. It was back, the presence that had thrown him into awareness the night before; unlike the times he had previously sensed it the vampire now remained still, just beyond the reach of the barrier, as though it was waiting for something. At this point he couldn't bring himself to care, the fact that he could still hear his parents meant that they were unaware of it and with the barrier in place there was nothing it could do; no matter how powerful it was.

After what seemed like hours to Zero but in reality was probably only a few minutes the voices upstairs had calmed and the silence once again covered Zero like a shroud. He hadn't been able to hear the conclusion of the 'discussion' as his father liked to call it, but Zero wasn't about to get his hopes up. He knew in the end, one way or another that woman would get what she wanted, a small sigh escaped him and the corner of his mouth twitched up in a way that could be mistaken for a smirk; he had realised some time ago that he could no longer bring himself to call that woman his mother…it made him sick to even think about how much joy it would bring her to hear him say that.

Sleep evaded him as the minutes wore on and anxiety clawed at his chest as the silence pressed down on him. There was nothing he could do but wait, but he didn't have to wait long.

It happened in an instant; one moment the aura of the vampire was quiet almost calm, the next it was crashing down around him like a wave. It was not the power of the presence that made it hard for Zero to breathe let alone stand but the cold hard edge of killing intent that it infused the air with. The intent faded as fast as it came but the aura remained and Zero was finally able to draw air into his starving lungs.

Sitting upright in his bed he remained still and quiet as he waited for any sound from upstairs. Sure enough he soon heard the sound of rushing footsteps followed by the hollow thunk of an empty saya clattering against the floor, more footsteps and then silence.

Standing now Zero strained his ears as he moved closer to the stairwell listening for any sound that might tell him what was happening. Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs the low sound of rushing air reached his ears accompanied by a spike in the vampires' aura.

On pure instinct he dove just in time as the door at the top of the stairs was thrown off its hinges, the dust almost choked him as the small underground room was filled with debris from the hall. Coughing and shielding his eyes he picked himself up off the floor and quickly dusted himself off before looking up the stairs; wood and brick littered the staircase and the jagged remains of the doorframe hung lifeless off the wall as the light from the hall flooded the passage.

The door was gone.

It took a moment for Zero to truly grasp the implication of what he was seeing. By the sounds coming from outside it was clear that both his parents were too distracted meaning neither could stop him.

The door was open and neither would be able to stop him.

The words Ichiru had spoken the other night echoed though his mind: "Why do you choose to stay?"

It was his choice and now more than ever he had a chance.

He could run.

He took a step forward but was stopped dead by one thought.

What about Ichiru?

Dread filled him as he thought of this; without thinking Zero bolted up the stairs careful not to slip on any of the debris that littered the corridor. Reaching the hall he was met with a scene of absolute chaos, looking to his left he could see what used to be the front door was now a gaping hole in the wall, the rest of the hall hadn't fared much better with wreckage scattered all along the hall. For the most part Zero ignored the destruction as he tore up the stairs to the second floor heading to his brothers bedroom; slamming the door open he was about to call on his brother when the words died on his lips.

There was no sign of Ichiru, the room was completely empty but the window was wide open.

Running to the window he was stopped cold as he caught his first glimpse of the vampire; white hair that shamed the snow that fell around her streamed behind her in the wind as she leapt forward, her eyes glowing demonic red as she charged her prey. There was no mistaking her for anything other than what she was…a Pureblood; beautiful, graceful and above all else terrifying.

He stood frozen leaning against the window; his father fought against her wielding his katana as if it were an extension of himself as he moved smoothly from one stance to the next, but when compared to the fluent movements and lithe agility of a Pureblood it was nothing.

Before he could blink his father had been disarmed and in the next instance the white snow surrounding him was dyed crimson. His father fell; face down in the snow, still alive but completely at the mercy of the Pureblood.

He only realised he was backing away when his back softly brushed against the wall opposite the window, the cold touch of the wall jolted him back to reality; he didn't know what to do but one thought kept coming back to haunt his mind, he had to find his brother.

Facing the door, not caring whether anyone heard him he called for his brother "Ichiru!" there was no reply from the silent halls but the echo of his own voice, fear gripped him; was Ichiru outside?

Looking over his shoulder and realising that he would have no chance of escaping unnoticed through the window Zero silently backed out of the room before turning and bolting down the stairs. Practically throwing himself down the stairs he jumped the last few steps he ran through the hall not missing a step as he avoided the chaos aiming for the back door; through the hole in the wall at the other end of the hall he could clearly hear the sounds of battle however he paid little attention to it, without even looking over his shoulder he threw open the back door and tore out into the cold night air.

As his bare feet met the cold snow he almost stumbled but quickly regained his footing and took off for the tree line. With the house blocking him from sight and the oppressive aura from the vampire there was no way his parents would be able to sense him; still he was cautious, not knowing how the battle was progressing or what the Pureblood intended to do when she had won he kept low, not slowing until he reached the cover of the trees.

Taking in great gasps of air he leaned his back against a tree as he closed his eyes, the small part of him revelling in the fact that he was no longer trapped was overwhelmed and almost suffocated by the need to find his brother; he couldn't shake the feeling that if he didn't…Zero shook his head at that thought trying to dispel it, there was no way he was going to allow anything to happen.

Concentrating he focused pushing his senses out, searching for any trace of his brother. The moments passed at a painful slowness and with each passing second Zero became more and more anxious. He was about to give into his fears and go running through the forest when finally he sensed it, a presence so much like his standing at the edge of the tree cover; wasting no time Zero dove through the forest twisting and turning as he tried to avoid the low branches that attempted to bar his way.

As he grew closer to where he had sensed his brother an unearthly screeching noise began to grow louder in his ears, it was painful to listen to; like the strings of a harp being wound too tight ready to snap with the slightest strain, still he raced through the undergrowth determined to find Ichiru.

A flash of colour in the darkness drew his sight; turning to his left his eyes met the sight of the chalk dusted pink petals of a Sakura tree but it was the silver glint below it that caught his attention. Relief flooded Zero as he saw Ichiru safe; his brother leaned against the tree his eyes completely focused on the clearing before him.

Leaning forward Zero rested his hands on his knees as he took several deep breaths; his body had not yet fully recovered from his previous ordeal and his mad dash through the woods had only aggravated the wound on his neck, he ignored the pain and the throbbing ache in his muscles as he began to walk towards Ichiru.

He had nearly reached his brother when the slightest rustle of leaves made him look to the right of the tree.

There was no moonlight this night but the ethereal light given off by the Sakura was reflected in the metal of the deadly blade. She advanced until she stood directly behind Ichiru, the blade raised ready to come down on his unsuspecting twin.

"ICHIRU!"

Without hesitation Zero threw himself over his brothers unguarded back; he hardly felt it as the blade tore through his back, he only felt the sensation of something warm flowing down his back however the cold soon set in numbing his body. Trying to focus, to stay conscious he could hear someone call his name as they lightly shook his shoulders, but the cold was making him tired and all he wanted to do was sleep; he was about to slip unconscious when another gentle shake allowed him to crack his eyes open.

With great effort Zero managed to turn his head to meet the tortured gaze of his twin, he was about to tell Ichiru to run but the words caught in his throat as crazed laughter cut through the silence of the night.

Against his will the exhaustion that now dominated his body crept over Zero's mind and he fell into unconsciousness haunted by the sound of that woman's crazed laughter.

* * *

Ichiru continued to shake Zero as his brothers eyes slowly closed, for a second he thought Zero was coming back around when he turned his face to look at Ichiru but his eyes were cloudy and unfocused and soon closed under the exhaustion that consumed him.

Harsh laughter cut through his despair and as he looked up he was met by the sight of his mother half bowed in her laughter, a bloody Kodachi gripped in her hand. Her arms cradled her chest as she continued to laugh uncontrollably; Ichiru tightened his grip around Zero as he pressed his back against the tree behind him trying to get as much distance as possible between himself and his mother.

There was nothing he could do as he watched her raise the blade, the laughter grew louder and seemed to echo all around him.

His world turned red as the crazed laugh was chocked by a gurgled cough, a single porcelain hand protruded through his mothers' chest allowing the blood to flow freely and stain the untouched snow of the forest floor.

The beautiful form of Shizuka Hio seemed to materialise from the shadows as she came to stand directly behind that woman. He could see that Shizuka was whispering something to her dying victim but he couldn't hear it over the hammering of his own heart which seemed so much louder now that the laughter was gone.

In one smooth movement Shizuka sunk her fangs into the vulnerable flesh of her prey but from the amount of blood that fell to join the puddle that was quickly forming in the melting snow it was clear that she didn't drink any.

Already his mothers' body was beginning to turn to dust and when Shizuka removed her hand there was nothing left to support the crumbling form as it fell to the ground as nothing more than a pile of ash.

Ichiru didn't care; his full attention was focused on Zero as he once again tried to rouse his twin but Zero's body was still in his hold and the blood continued to flow from his back dying Ichiru's hands crimson as he tried to staunch its flow.

The light rustle of silk over snow alerted him to the fact that Shizuka was still there, she crouched lithely before him; her bloodstained white kimono the only indication she had fought in her otherwise unruffled form.

"P-please" the plea escaped him as little more than a whisper "you can save him, please he can't die! Not because of me, I wanted to save him! Please you have to save him!" The tears rolled down Ichiru's face unbidden as he held his brother closer; if Zero were to die…

The silence that followed his plea was enough to chill the blood in Ichiru's veins but Shizuka didn't keep him waiting for long. A slight tilt of Shizuka's head and the outstretched arms she offered sent hope burning through Ichiru; as gently as he could he moved his twin into her embrace.

* * *

As the child was moved into her outstretched arms Shizuka had to hold her breath; the smell of fresh blood was intoxicating and if she allowed herself to become drunk on its heavy scent there would be nothing that could stop her from draining both the boys of every last drop of their precious life's blood.

The boys' breath came in short uneven gasps as she settled his head on her lap, the wound on his back was deep and as she traced her hand along his back to examine the extent of the damage she could feel the countless half healed scars that littered the boys small frame. She was drawn out from her observation when a small cough escaped the boys now pale lips bringing with it blood.

Shizuka couldn't help but sigh as she wiped the small trail of blood that flowed from his lips; his half lidded eyes followed her every movement but he was too weak to stop her.

She couldn't help the smile that twitched at the corner of her mouth as the boy continued to stare at her without a single trace of fear; the twins continued to intrigue her, she hadn't found something this interesting since.

Stopping her thoughts dead she returned her attention to Ichiru who up until this point had simply been watching his brother with quiet concern as he sat in the cold snow refusing to move even as a cold blast of air sent a shiver down his spine. With delicate movements she lifted Zero so that his head rested comfortably against her shoulder; in his half conscious state all he could manage in protest was soft groan as the ripped fabric of his shirt shifted against his back. Lightly shifting his hair she exposed the hunter seal branded into his neck; she eyed it with distaste but in this instance its usefulness outweighed her aversion.

Lowering her lips her fangs gently sank into the smooth skin of his neck only marred by the hunter seal. As she drank she could feel seal begin to burn her lips as the curse within rejected her touch, the pain reminded her that if she went too far she would kill him; even so her eyes began to glow red as the warm liquid slid down her burning throat.

The boys' heart began to beat faster as adrenaline raced through his veins, in his barely lucid state he tried to escape her grasp but she held him; one hand gently caressing his hair as the other wrapped round his torso restraining him. Just as he was about to lose consciousness she released him and without the support of her restraining arms he slumped back against her shoulder, levelling her with a look full of such loathing she felt as though it might scorch her.

The blood she had taken from him had managed to heal most of the wounds she had received in the battle in a matter of moments and as she checked she could see the scar on Zero's back begin to close, however they would both need time and more blood to fully recover.

Picking up Zero as though he weighed nothing she extended her free hand towards Ichiru, with a smile that had not graced her lips since she had lost _him_ she asked one question.

"Shall we go?"

* * *

Yagari walked up the familiar small forest path his boots leaving distinct prints in the freshly fallen snow that covered it. It had only been a day since he received the call from Akihiro but knowing how Saika could be he had rushed his last job, making sure he'd arrived early before Saika could do anything drastic.

A heavy sigh escaped him as he casually scratched the back of his head, Akihiro was finally going to allow him to take Zero away; he'd been suggesting it for years but Akihiro had always had an excuse, one way or another he always found an excuse. If he was honest with himself Yagari would admit that he couldn't blame Akihiro; he knew the man was being stupid, not to mention selfish and in some cases cruel but he also knew that he loved his son's and would do anything to keep them out of the Associations hands.

These thoughts continued to dog Yagari as he walked to the edge of the barrier that surrounded the Kiryu home. As a hunter he couldn't help but admire the work that went into the construction of such a ward, the only ones he knew of that could rival it were those surrounding cross academy and the Vampires Association itself.

He passed through the barrier at an even pace, barely blinking as the familiar sensation that could only be compared to walking through a dense patch of fog washed over him. It was only as he passed the barrier that his feet came to a sudden a dead stop.

The clearing before him was filled with the signs of battle, everywhere he looked the ground was torn up, rubble lay strewn across the clearing, the front entrance had all but collapsed and the once white snow that had covered the clearing was now painted with wide strokes of red. In the centre of the chaos lay a body, unmoving and broken.

"Akihiro!"

Yagari rushed to his fallen friends' side in his desperation dropping the heavy gun case he carried in favour of speed. Kneeling in the snow beside his friend he cared little for the blood soaking into his trousers as he checked for a pulse; it was there but it was weak, how he'd managed to last this long shocked Yagari but it didn't matter. He had to stop the bleeding; tearing off his trade mark trench coat he began ripping it into strips in order to bind the deep lacerations that covered Akihiro's chest.

He was about to lay the first strip across Akihiro's chest when his friend began to stir.

"Akihiro, can you hear me?" Akihiro's eyes moved slightly but didn't open and then he was once again still. "Hey, don't you dare go back to sleep yet; I need to know what happened!" He grasped Akihiro's shoulder and lightly shook it trying to force his friend to stay conscious, after a moment Akihiro drew a deep ragged breath and his eyes shot open; the ragged breath turned into a pained gasp as he tried to rise and failed.

"Don't move" Yagari cautioned as he returned to trying to bind the wounds "I've got to stop this bleeding and having you move isn't going to help me any." In a flash Akihiro grabbed his wrist with strength that shouldn't have been possible in his current state "don't bother" he rasped locking eyes with Yagari "the twins…you have to…have to find them" each word sounded as though it was painful to speak.

Yagari gripped the hand that held his wrist "I will but first I have to get you-"

"No! You don't understand" a harsh cough wracked his body as he continued "they're gone…she took them, please you have to get them back" Akihiro's eyes began to close again as his strength waned.

"Who took them? Akihiro! Was it Saika?" Yagari didn't even want to imagine what would happen if that were the case.

With another cough and eyes half open Akihiro shook his head "No, she ran I don't know where she is."

Yagari's eyes narrowed as distain and dread began to fill him "who took them?"

"Kuruizaki Hime" a sharp intake of breath was Yagari's only response to the whisper of that dreaded name.

"Please Yagari, I know they're alive…you have to get them back…I failed them, I couldn't protect them…not from the Association, not from Saika…so please." Tears rolled down Akihiro's face as the desperate plea escaped him.

Seeing his once proud friend beg nearly broke Yagari, he gritted his teeth as he increased the strength of his grip on his friends' hand "I'll find them."

With that one statement Akihiro relaxed as his eyes began to cloud over "arigato, my friend" for a brief moment the light seemed to return to his eyes "when you do find them please…t-tell them I'm sorry…I'm sorry I couldn't protect them" as the last words fell from his lips Akihiro's eyes slowly closed, his hand slipped and the resounding thud that followed when it hit the frozen ground was the only sound to accompany his passing.

…

Yagari knelt for a moment, his head bowed in silent mourning. When he stood his eyes began to roam the clearing again trying to use the information he had gained to piece together what happened. Walking over to the house he noticed a clear set of footprints intermixed with long frozen trails of blood heading towards the tree line. Curiosity getting the better of him Yagari followed it assuming it would tell him what had happened to Saika, he was right. After following the trail as it doubled back and circled the clearing he emerged at the edge of the clearing, a lone sakura bloomed just outside the light from the clearing; at its base rested a pile of ash that was slowly being blown away by the breeze. He walked over to it picking up a handful of the dust before allowing it to slip through his fingers to be carried away by the wind.

"Saika, you fool."

His mind filled with turbulent emotions Yagari failed to notice the form of the lone black wolf as it slunk back into the darkness of the woods, hurrying to report the new development to its master.

* * *

Author note: Hope you enjoyed, let me know what you think ^-^


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